What's More American Than Parmesan Cheese?

Plenty, according to the European Union. And its complaints could scuttle a trans-Atlantic trade deal.

By

Brian M. Carney

Updated March 25, 2014 5:19 p.m. ET

More than half the members of the U.S. Senate rose in defense of American dairy last week, in what could be a sign of how hard it will be to forge a comprehensive trans-Atlantic trade deal.

The trouble comes from the European Union's rules concerning "protected designations of origin" (PDO) and "protected geographical indications (PGI)." EU law allows producers of many foods—from Parmesan cheese to prosciutto—to apply for legal protection for the names of their products. The European Commission then...